The air in the laboratory was no longer academic.
The complex protein structure diagrams and experiment schedules that once filled the chalkboards had been roughly erased. In their place were cold, sharp terms: "KOSDAQ Listing," "VC Investment," and "Equity Structure." On the whiteboard where cell culture schedules used to be, stock market reports were pinned with magnets, looking like they were screaming under the pressure.
The door opened, and a man in a luxury coat stepped in. Despite his flashy exterior, his eyes were hollow, and his lips were as parched as a drought-stricken field. This was Yoon Seong-min, Ha-jeong’s older brother—a man whose soul had been stripped bare by creditors following a string of failed business ventures.
Professor Han saw right through him.
"Have a seat, brother," Han said smoothly, lighting a cigar.
Seong-min picked up his coffee cup and set it down repeatedly. The trembling of his fingertips made a frantic clinking sound against the porcelain.
"Professor, about this business plan..." Seong-min pulled a document titled Bio-Guardian Co., Ltd. from his bag. The first page was filled with flashy graphs and provocative figures like "87% Cancer Cell Fatality Rate."
"Brother, these are just preliminary results," Professor Han explained softly, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "It’s natural for data to fluctuate in the early stages of research. VCs aren't fools. What they’re looking for isn't a finished product; it’s the 'possibility' and our university’s brand."
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Seong-min bit his lip. The threatening phone calls from yesterday and the sound of his wife’s sobbing echoed in his ears like hallucinations.
"You only need to hold the title of CEO. Once the investment comes in, we’ll clear your debts first and give you a 20% stake." Han leaned in. "Once we go public, that'll be worth billions. This is your last chance."
Professor Han handed over a 'Target Investment List' filled with the names of fellow professors and CEOs of small-to-medium enterprises. Seong-min finally gave a heavy nod, and a predatory smile spread across the Professor's face.
[Same Time / Lab Hallway]
Yu-jin stood by the copier, holding her breath. She didn't miss a single word drifting through the cracked door—preliminary results, 20% stake. She scribbled them into her notebook.
[2004. 02. 05. Recorder: Yu-jin]
Visitor: Yoon Seong-min (Anxiety observed, hand tremors).
Key Phrases: "University Brand," "20% Stake."
Note: Prof. Han delivered a thick "Target Investment List."
As Seong-min stepped into the hallway, he ran into his sister, Ha-jeong.
"Ha-jeong! Professor Han gave me a chance. This time, it’s really different!" Seong-min’s voice was bright with desperate hope.
Ha-jeong ignored his excitement, her voice cold. "...I see."
She walked away without looking back. She knew instinctively that her brother’s "hope" was just a high-speed sprint toward a cliff.
[Same Day, 7:00 PM / City Library]
On Min-ah’s desk, instead of lab equipment, lay a volume titled Commentary on the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. She drew a thick line with a highlighter over a single sentence.
“The crime of fraud is completed at the moment the victim performs an act of asset disposal.”
Min-ah felt the business card of Investigator Kim Jae-hyuk in her pocket.
‘Let him climb higher. Let him drag more people in. So that when he falls, it hurts even more.’
[Next Episode Preview] The brand of "Indefinite Suspension" was no longer a stigma for Min-ah. It was becoming a cold, calculated blueprint to cut off the monster's air supply.
Quick Question: What do you think of Yu-jin's role? Is she the hero Min-ah needs, or is she putting herself in too much danger?
Rate and Review the story on Royal Road!